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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. W. E.'TAPT.

WHEEL OULTIVATOR. No. 426,221. Patented Apr. 22, 1890.

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4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' W. E. TAPT.

WHEEL OULTIVATOR.

Patented Apr. 22, 1890.

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No. 426,221. Patented Apr. 22, 1890.

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Patented APR-22, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VALTER E. TAFT, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

WHEEL-CULTIVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,221, dated April 22, 1890.

' Application filed March 11, 1890. Serial No.3 t3,570. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, \VALTER E. TAF'I', a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVheel-Gultivators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention pertains to certain new and useful improvements in wheel-cultivators, having for its object the provision of simple and highly-eflicient means for readily and easily operating the drag-bars or shovel-beams in the desired manner and for holding the same securely in position.

The invention therefore comprises the details of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts substantially pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view on the line a: :r, showing a modification of my improvement. Fig. 4 is a rear end view. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional elevation. Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 are detail views.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the cultivator-frame, composed, preferably, of two side bars a cc and front and rear bars a a To the under side of the rear cross-bar a are connected hanger-plates a a wherein are pivotally secured short axles Z) 1), upon the outer ends of which are secured the carryingwheels. To'each of these pivoted axles are secured the rear ends of outwardly-projecting arms B B, which, in connection with said axles, constitute levers for changing the direction of the movement of the carryingwheels.

0 C designate the center drag-bars or shovel-beams of each series thereof, and the forward ends b of each of said central dragbars C have a link connecting into down- Wardly-projecting ears Z), which are loosely connected to bracket orplate a in such a manner as to move laterally that the forward ends of the drag-bars may move to be in line with the shovels as they are spread apart or moved together, said brackets or plates 0 being fastened to main frame A on forward cross-bar a.

To the outwardly-projecting arms B B a rod (1 is connected, whereby the wheels D D are caused to move parallel with each other.

To the main frame there is attached a bracket (1 (or other suitable device) for attaching loosely a perpendicular rod (1 said rod passing through a loop (Z on the dragbars 0 C in such a manner that the drag-bars may be raised or lowered without hinderanee from the rods (Z To the outwardly-projecting arms B B a rod 6 connects to rod (Z and passes through a loop 6 on rod (1 said loop having a set or thumb screw therein to hold the rod (Z in the lateral position to which itis placed, whereby the drag-bars are moved together or apart from one another, and at the same time causing the drag-bars to move in the direction of the wheels as they are turned.

To the ouiwvardly-proj ecting arms B B a rod f is connected, with ends bent at right angles, one end fastened into the outwardly projecting arms B 13 and the other end to slip into a bracket or loop f 011 main frame for the purpose of locking the wheels in a parallel position to each other and in line with the draft.

E E are the lifting-levers; G G, the rack or quadrant for locking the lovers into at any desired height, the rods II 11 having alooped end g, the lower ends being a hollow cylinder g with a slot open at theirlower end, and so arranged as to slide over the drag-bars 0, allow in g drag-bars to slide up and down in said slot, and having slots in sides of cylinder g and closed at their lower ends, with abolt passing through said slots 9' and through dragbars 0, and said cylinder g containing acoilspring 9 therein, the lower end of said spring resting on drag-bar O and its upper end rest ing against the top of cylinder g for the purpose of causing an elastic adjustment downward to the drag-bars that they may adjust themselves to uneven ground, the rods H II being connected to the lifting-leversE E by a bracket 71, fastened on lifting-levers E E, and said bracket having aswivel 7L2, fastened to said bracket, said swivel having downwardly-projecting ears 71. the loop g of rod l'I fastened therein, and said bracket, swivel,

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and loop so arranged that the rod H may swing in laterally difierent directions, the levers E E being connected to independent rocker-shafts F F at their outer ends of said shafts, and said shafts have a centralbearing kin the center of main frame A on rear cross-bar a the end of rock-shaft F at 70 passing through bearing is and forming a bearing for rock-shaft F at k the rock shafts F and F having holes through their ends at K K to receive a pin or key for the purpose of locking them together and forming a continuous shaft that the drag-bars may be raised or lowered by either single lifting-lever E E, suitable means being employed whereby either lever may be disengaged from the racks G G.

Fig. 3 shows a modification for connecting the drag-bars with the pivoted axles, substantially as follows: On the rod (1 at a suitable distance from each end are placed brackets or loops J J fastened to rod dwith set-screws, sai brackets J J having a hole through them for/rods J J to move laterally therein and fastened with a thumb-screw after being set at the desired point, said rods J J being connected. to rods d for the purpose of separating or moving together the drag-bars and causing the drag-bars to move in the direction of the Wheels, the said rod d connecting the pivoted axles with each other.

I am aware that prior to my invention wheel-cultivators have been made with separately-pivoted axles connected together by a rod and drag-bars connected for operatingin conjunction with said axles. I therefore do not claim such a combination, broadly; but

WhatI do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a cultivator, the separately-pivoted axles having projecting arms B, in combination with the drag-bars, the rods 61 the rod d, and the rod 6, adjustably connecting the rod 01 to the arms B or the rod (1, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a cultivator, of the main frame, a gang of drag-bars, a bracket on the main frame, the drag-bar coupling con nected to the bracket and arranged to slide laterally thereon, the rod (2 and the separately-pivoted axles connected to rod (1*, sub stantially as described.

3. The combination, with the cultivatorframe, of drag-bars, the lifting-rods H, levers E, rock-shafts F F, and the bearing 70, supporting rock-shaft F, said rock -shaft extendinginto and forming a bearing for rock shaft F, whereby by a pin through perforations in the rock-shafts they may be changed to one continuous shaft, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination, with the frame and drag-bars. of levers E E, with brackets 71. and swivels 72/ racks G, rook-shafts F F, liftingrods l-I, having ahollow slotted cylinder 9 and spring g substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WALTER E. TAF'I. Witnesses:

J NO. H. WHALEN, ANSON S. TAYLOR. 

